Social media is a great way to connect and share... but make sure you make it fun for everyone!

Be kind!

Treat others how you would like to be treated online – you wouldn’t like it if a stranger took your picture and posted it online making fun of you, so why would you do it someone else? Always try to put yourself in someone else's shoes when commenting on things you see online.

Be a good mate

Don’t upload embarrassing picture, or tag people in cringey photos online – unless they are okay with it of course! Some people value their privacy and don’t want certain things or images shared. Respect that. Has someone uploaded a picture you aren't comfortable with? Here's how to get photos removed online.

Give credit!

Writers, illustrators, musicians, photographers… anyone who creates anything puts a lot of time and effort into it. So don’t steal somebody else’s work and claim it’s your own, or repost something without giving credit. Plus you can get into legal trouble by not crediting work.

Think before you type!

It can be easy to type out things in the heat of the moment – a crude joke, a massive rant, a bit of overshare… but it can come back to haunt you. Employers can look back on your social media history and see stuff that they don’t like, or contradict the type of person you seem to be on your CV. Check out our advice on thinking before you tweet!

Do your research

If you see something being shared about the latest outrage - look it up first! Don't just jump on the bandwagon, make sure to research before you post or condemn or support something online. If it's a tweet - check it's from a real account and not a parody one. If it's a news story, check that the source is reliable. And if you don't agree with someone online, you don't have to argue. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It's what makes life interesting!

Think before you share

Similar to the research bit above, make sure to look into something before sharing it. Why not check our guide to spotting fake news? As well as this, there can be really unpleasant images circulating online, especially during news events. Appreciate that these images can be very upsetting for people to see, and don't post graphic images for the sake of retweets, likes, views or shares.

Get the Young Scot app

The NEW Young Scot discount app is currently under construction and due to launch in 2017. Check back for updates on when it will be re-released with brand new features and improvements!